A New Universe
by Kotawings
Summary: The final story in the Irken Rebels trilogy! Eight years have past since the rebels defeated the Irken army on Mooshi, and many things have changed. But one thing hasn't, and that is the need to defeat the Tallest.  Rated T for violence and mild language.
1. Dawn

A/N: Wow, I've come a long ways since Has It Come To This… I want to thank all of you who have been there since the very beginning of this tale. And now, the moment you've all been waiting for…

A New Universe.

~!#$%^&

_The age of man is over,_

_A darkness comes at dawn._

_These lessons that we've learned here,_

_Have only just begun._

_30 Seconds to Mars: Kings and Queens_

3rd Person

The sun broke the horizon, sending light cascading down upon the meadow. Wildflowers glinted with morning dew and the residents of the villages began to stir.

Inside a hut of the newest village, an Irken child opened his eyes. They were purple in color, like his mother's. The child yawned and stretched the sleep from his muscles. His antennae perked up, catching all of the morning sounds. When he determined that nothing unusual was happening, he sat up, revealing a PAK free back.

The child's name was Zinx, the first natural born Irken in his village. Of course, there were many natural born Irkens on Mooshi now; including Zinx's younger brother Rak.

Speaking of the devil, Rak walked into his older brother's room, rubbing sleep from his eyes. Zinx looked over at his younger brother fondly.

"Good morning, Rak!" Zinx said. "Did you sleep well?"

Rak nodded, blinking his ruby colored eyes slowly. Zinx had learned to appreciate Rak in the morning, for it was the only time he wasn't bouncing off the walls.

Zinx cast one last look out the window next to his bed. He loved watching the sun rise, as most people did on Mooshi. It was the sign of a brand new day, a clean slate.

"Mommy says it's time for breakfast," Rak said, finally gathering enough energy to deliver his message.

"Alright," Zinx said. "Tell her I'll be right there."

"Ok!" Rak left Zinx's room and closed the door, knowing that his older brother was probably going to get dressed.

Zinx hopped out of his Shadcat and Trigon skin bed, taking a moment to straighten the covers. He then went over to his dresser and picked out his outfit for the day.

He was lucky, Zinx had been born after trade had been established between other planets, which meant that he didn't have to wear homemade clothes.

Zinx threw on his favorite green shirt and black pants. He tossed his pajamas back into their designated drawer and headed to the kitchen.

"Good morning!" his mother called as he entered the delicious smelling kitchen.

"Good morning, mom!" Zinx said, taking a seat at the table.

"Rak, where is your father? Didn't he say he'd be here in a moment?"

"Uh huh!" Rak said, sipping some fruit juice.

"I'll be there in a minute, Tak!" Zim called from another room.

Tak shook her head in amusement as she set breakfast on the table.

"What are you going to do today, Zinx?" Tak asked as she sat down.

"Well, Sage, Tanuki, Tsuki, Bex and I were planning on exploring near the base of the mountains."

"Can I come?" Rak asked, shoveling food into his mouth.

"No, Rak, sorry," Zinx said, not looking the least bit sorry. "It's too far of a walk for you."

"But I'm big!" Rak said, sitting up straighter.

"Rak, dear, I'm afraid your brother is right," Tak said with a sympathetic smile. "You can always play with Merope!"

"But mommy," Rak began in a whiny voice, "Merope isn't any fun. She's too little to play any fun games."

"Now, Rak!" Zim scolded, pulling on his gloves as he sat down. "You should be a little nicer to her. That little smeet absolutely adores you!"

Rak crossed his arms over his chest. "Besides, Chrome makes fun of me when I play with her."

Zim narrowed his eyes. "Is that kid still bothering you? Because if he is… HE WILL PAY."

Rak's eyes widened. "Uh, no, daddy, it's fine. He hasn't been bothering me." Rak was willing to do anything to keep his dad from interfering with his social life.

~!#$%^

It had been eight years since the Irken army had been chased away from Mooshi. Since then, the rebels had set up their own little village not far from the Zuphle village they had come to love. They had also started families. Life was good, for most of them anyway. Dib and Gaz had remained on Mooshi as well, but they weren't very happy about it. Dib was twenty now, and Gaz was nineteen. They were more than ready to return to Earth, which, strangely enough, was the new center of rebellion in the Irken empire.

Now, eight years later, the Irken empire was slowly beginning to crumble. Little patches of rebels were springing up all over the place, and more and more planets were overthrowing the Irken rule. As it was, Mooshi was already teeming with beings from other planets. There were colonies all over the place. But for now, there were only two villages in the valley the rebels had first come to.

Zinx stepped out of his house into the clear morning. He took a deep breath and began heading to what he and his friends called "the usual meeting place." This meeting place was just on the outside of the village, on a small patch of dirt that refused to grow flowers. Zinx was the third to arrive, only Tsuki and Tanuki had gotten there first.

Tsuki and Tanuki were twin Centauri, the same race that Luca and Chimera were from. Of course, those two were with the Resisty.

Tsuki was a white filly with grey streaks in her mane and a grey tail tuft. Other than those few grey spots, she was completely white. Her eyes were silver.

Tanuki, on the other hand, was almost the exact opposite of his sister. He was completely black, save for a white star on the center of his forehead. His mane hung shaggily over one of his green eyes. The twins stood side by side, arms crossed over their chests as their tails twitched impatiently. Obviously they weren't feeling very patient.

"Hey guys," Zinx said as he strode up. "Any sign of the others yet?"

"Nope, just you," Tsuki said, brushing some hair out of her face. "Hopefully they'll be here soon, though."

As if on cue, Bex emerged from the village, taking his sweet old time walking over to his friends. Bex was a blue eyed Irken, and he absolutely adored listening to stories about Jek, whom he considered his hero. Like all of the natural born Irkens on Mooshi, Bex was PAK free.

"Hey, Zinx!" Bex exclaimed when he finally reached the others. The two boys performed their secret handshake, which the twins rolled their eyes at. Just as they were finishing up, Sage left the village, running daintily over the grass and flowers.

"Hello, everyone!" the green eyed Irken said happily. "Are we ready to begin?"

Sage was the daughter of Kiu and Mir, which explains her green eyes and her attitude. Obviously, she inherited more from her mother than she had from her father.

"Yeah, let's get going!" Tanuki exclaimed. "I'm tired of waiting!"

So the five friends ran across the grassy landscape, headed toward the mountains to explore.

~!#$%

A/N: And so I have written the beginning of the end. Excited? The OCs that won my contest will be coming into play pretty soon here. Until next chapter!


	2. The Wilderness

A/N: Woo! Time for another chapter! Two of the four OCs are introduced in this one, and the other two will be coming in the next couple of chapters.

~!#$%

_Call back the cap com,_

_Tick off the time bomb,_

_Let felicity fly._

_Armor the air lock,_

_Blanket the bed rock,_

_And kiss the planet goodbye._

_Owl City: Galaxies_

3rd Person POV

Tak was headed to a little café that had recently been set up, for those aliens who had moved to Mooshi but still enjoyed coffee when they could get it. Once a week Tak and several of her friends got together and just talked. Everyone in a while they'd go do something, but there wasn't a whole lot TO do on Mooshi, since it was still mostly unpopulated.

Today Tak was meeting with some old friends and several newer ones. The old friends were Mir, Ina, Kiku and Appala. The newer friends were Mist and Kat. Mist was a dappled grey Centauri, and the mother of Tsuki and Tanuki. Her tail tuft, face and antennae were white. Kat, on the other hand, was a member of the Resisty, who had been resting up at the village for several days. Kat was an Irken with blue eyes with black cat ears and a tail. She also had the ability to shape shift into any creature, because she was an experiment.

As Tak walked into the café, the aroma of coffee from many different planets hit her. Mir and Ina were seated the biggest table in the place, chatting. Tak walked over and sat in an empty chair.

"Oh, hello, Tak!" Mir said happily. "How have you been?"

"Good, thanks," Tak answered. "How about the two of you?"

"I've been good," Ina answered.

"So have I!"

Tak, Mir and Ina turned to see Kat headed toward them, a bright smile on her face. Mist, Kiku and Appala entered the building shortly after.

"Good, everyone is here," Mir said. "Kat, do you know how much longer the Resisty is planning on staying?"

Kat frowned slightly. "Only for a couple more days, I think. It sounded like Lard Nar wanted to spend as little time here as possible, with the Irken empire growing so weak and all."

"I suppose that makes sense," Mist said. "But of course, we'll miss you when you leave."

The other girls murmured in agreement.

~!#$%^

"C'mon slow pokes!" Zinx called back to his companions. "We'll never get there if you don't hurry!"

"But Zinx, we're tired!" Tsuki whined. "We've been walking for almost an hour already! Can't we take a break?"

"Seriously? We're almost there!" Bex snapped. "Toughen up!"

"Someone's grumpy this morning," Tanuki mumbled.

Zinx stopped suddenly, antennae twitching. Something felt… off. The group had reached a small forest just near the base of the mountains, and it had grown quiet. A little too quiet.

"Guys, hush up for sec ok?" Zinx ordered.

"What's up?" Bex asked.

"Something doesn't feel right," Zinx said, trailing off. "I can't tell what though."

A twig snapped and the five kids jumped, startled. They tensed up, suddenly afraid. The shadows seemed to come alive and growling emanated from the bushes. The three boys, deciding that the girls needed protecting, moved in front of Sage and Tsuki. The girls didn't object.

"I think we should go back," Sage whimpered.

"Yeah… I think we should, too," Tanuki agreed. "So, let's just…"

The Centauri foal didn't get to finish his sentence before their little adventure took a turn toward the dangerous. A shadcat leapt from the cover of the trees, claws outstretched and fangs bared. The kids screamed and scattered in different directions. The shadcat was momentarily confused, not sure who to go after. But finally it decided to go after Sage.

Sage crashed through the underbrush, panting. She cast a glance back over her shoulder, green eyes scanning the woods. The shadcat was close behind and gaining. Sage whimpered again and pushed herself faster. The shadcat let out a furious roar…

A screech of pain sounded from behind Sage and she dove into some bushes, tears streaming down her face. She waited for the terrible creature to come crashing through, claws flying, saliva dripping… But it never came. Warily, she left her hiding spot and looked around. Standing several yards away was an Irken with bright green eyes wearing only a loin cloth. He had a scar over his right eye and a knife made from a tooth clutched in his right hand. He was crouched near the now dead shadcat, but his eyes were locked with Sage's.

The female Irken gasped and retreated back into her hiding place for a moment. She finally worked up her courage and went back out, but the other Irken was gone. Sage stood there, confused. But she snapped out of it when she heard voices headed her way. Soon her friends were in sight, crashing toward her. They stopped when they saw the dead shadcat.

"What happened?" Zinx asked, running toward Sage. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Sage answered. "Just a little scared."

"What happened to the shadcat?" Tanuki asked, prodding the body with one hoof.

"I… I'm not sure," Sage said. "One moment it was chasing me, about to eat me, when it suddenly stopped. I had hidden in the bushes and when the shadcat didn't come, I looked out. There was an Irken, with green eyes. I hid again and when I came out, he was gone."

Bex and Tanuki looked like they didn't believe her, but Zinx and Tsuki looked intrigued.

"Do you have any idea where he went?" Zinx asked.

Sage shook her head.

"Listen, how about if we discuss this mystery Irken elsewhere?" Tsuki asked. "I really don't want to stick around here. Can we go back to the village?"

"I think that's a good idea," Zinx said. "This place is creepy and there might be more shadcats around."

"Well, lead the way, fearless leader," Bex said, smirking at Zinx. Zinx stuck his tongue out but lead the way toward the edge of the forest.

~!#$

Dib and Gaz were talking, sharing a rare moment of peace between them. They had talked often in the last few days, ever since the Resisty had come to visit. They had brought news that Earth was rebelling strongly against the Irken empire, and they had a good chance at freeing themselves. So they made a decision. The siblings would be traveling back to Earth to help in the fight. Besides, they were more than ready to return home.

~!#$

A/N: So, Invader Kat and Haku1013, how'd I do? Kat and Tarklotaz will come in more and more in later chapters, but I figured I'd just introduce them for now.

Fun Fact: Tsuki means moon in Japanese and Tanuki means badger!


	3. Farewell, Friends

A/N: SQUEE! Homecoming is next week! I need to prepare my outfit! What's not to like about several hours of dancing with your friends? And forget boys, they're lame. Just me and my buds next Saturday, yup yup. Enjoy!

~!#$%^&

_Will you always find an escape?_

_Just running away,_

_From all of the ones who love you,_

_From everything._

_Paramore: When it Rains_

3rd Person

"How've you been?"

Kiu and Jek were sitting at the edge of the forest overlooking the meadow; the same place where they had first seen the village eight years ago. They were making the most of the Resisty's time on Mooshi, spending as much time together as possible. The friends rarely saw each other anymore.

"Ok. I'm doing better than I had been."

"That's good."

Jek was happier now than he had been, and more open to conversation. He still hadn't fully recovered, though, and he doubted he ever would. The only thing for him to do was continue on, and hope for the best. As it was, the Irken Empire was steadily losing ground and more and more planets were now free. With luck, the universe would be free from the Tallest before much longer.

"Do you know where you're headed after you leave?" Kiu asked.

Jek shrugged, meaning that he wasn't allowed to say. He hated keeping things from his best friend, but it was for the best.

"How's your life been?" Jek asked, breaking the silence that had set in after Kiu had asked his question. "How are Mir and Sage?"

"They're good," Kiu said, smiling slightly. "Sage is off exploring today, and I think Mir is hanging out with her friends."

"WEEEEEE OOOOOOHHHHHHH!"

"What the…" Kiu murmured. As an answer to his question, Iris and the rest of the SIR units soared past them, steam billowing from their feet. Iris had done nothing but play with her friends since the Resisty had come back to Mooshi, and more than once Jek had considered letting her stay. She seemed so happy here, but she also refused to leave Jek's side.

"It's good to see her so happy," Jek said, smiling.

"I bet," Kiu commented. "Hey, are those the kids? What are they doing back already? They way Sage described it, it sounded like they were going to be gone all day!"

Sure enough, the little band of kids was heading back to the village, discussing the events that had happened in such a short time. Sage was mostly lost in thought, trying to conjure up an image of the Irken who had saved her. But the more she tried to think about him, the further he slipped from her mind. He was younger than she was that much she knew.

"What are you five doing back here already?"

Kiu and Jek had descended from the cliff in record time, and had just come to a halt beside the kids.

"Hi, dad!" Sage said, smiling brightly at Kiu. "Hi, Jek!"

"Jek!" Bex exclaimed. "I didn't know you were in town!"

Jek smiled at his biggest fan. "We got here last night."

Bex began spewing questions and begging for stories from the blue eyed pilot. Jek laughed at Bex's enthusiasm and patted him on the head.

"There'll be time for stories later," Jek promised. "But what we want to know is why you guys aren't out playing. From what Kiu's told me, you guys normally spend all day playing. Did something happen?"

The five kids looked at each other uncertainly for a moment before Zinx stepped forward. "We were… attacked by a shadcat."

Kiu and Jek looked at each other in horror. "And you're all ok?" Kiu asked, beginning to inspect Sage for any injuries.

"Yeah, we're all fine," Bex said. "Something, or someone, killed the shadcat before it could hurt us. But, uh, we don't know who or what it was, exactly."

"Well, at least you're all safe," Kiu said. "It's probably best if you stay close to home for the next few days, ok?"

The five kids nodded in unison. They had no desire to stray too far from home at the moment. "We'll stay close, we promise!" Tsuki said.

Kiu smiled. "Ok, run along then."

The kids hurried off, still discussing who could have killed the shadcat, and making the beginnings of a plan to go back and look for him. They had just entered the village when a shout rang out.

"You're leaving?"

The kids stopped in their tracks and looked around. They didn't see anything, so they ran toward where the sound had come from. Once they got there, they found Gaz and Dib standing next to a Resisty ship. Things were scattered around on the ground, ready to be packed into the ship. A small crowd had gathered and Dib was trying to explain what they were doing.

"Guys, Earth needs our help. Gaz and I are tired of standing around doing nothing! Earth is close to being free, and we're ready to fight."

"Will you ever be back?" a pink eyed Irken smeet asked. She blinked several times, obviously on the verge of tears.

Dib grimaced. "I don't know, Merope. I guess it all depends on what happens."

Zim came running just then. He went up to Dib, speaking the whole way. "So, it's true, Dib? You're headed back to Earth?"

Dib nodded.

"I had a feeling. Anyway, I have some information that could be useful to you. The Resisty just informed me that there are several small groups of Irkens on Earth and surrounding planets that are fighting against the empire. I bet they'll help you if you can find them."

"Thanks, Zim. We'll be sure to look out for them."

"Take care, Dib human." Zim said, smirking.

"You too, space boy. Gaz?"

Gaz was already sitting in the ship, looking immensely bored. "Can we go now?" she asked.

"Yup. See ya, everybody!" Dib waved as he hopped into the pilot's seat. A few moments later, they were taking off. They rose higher and higher until they could no longer be seen, headed toward Earth.

~!#$%^&

A/N: I hated this chapter. . Of course, it was necessary to get this story truly started up. Things will get MUCH better from here on out.

I listened to music from Portal the entire time I wrote this chapter. :3


	4. Back on Earth

A/N: Sorry I haven't been updating very much, I've had major writer's block. . But softball is now over so you can start to expect more frequent updates. ^^

~!#$%

_I will not bow,_

_I will not break,_

_I will shut the world away._

_I will not fall,_

_I will not fade,_

_I will take your breath away._

_Breaking Benjamin: I Will Not Bow_

3rd Person

Several days later, Dib and Gaz finally entered Earth's atmosphere. As the siblings flew over the ravaged planet, they searched for a place to land.

Gaz pointed to a bare patch of ground not too far away. "That looks as good as anything."

Dib nodded and headed toward the bare ground. He landed without a problem and the siblings hopped out, looking at their war torn home. Where there had once been homes there were only empty shells and rubble. Where there wasn't fighting nature had taken back the land. Dib was amazed that Earth had held out so long. Everyone was fighting now, regardless of age and gender.

"This place is a dump," Gaz mumbled, kicking a rock.

Dib grimaced. "Well, let's go see if we can find a town that's still standing."

"I can help with that."

Dib and Gaz spun around, looking for whoever had spoken. Two female Irkens stepped out from the shadow of the trees, laser guns in hand. Two SIR units emerged next to them, one from Impending Doom 1 and one from Impending Doom wore no disguises.

"What… You're Irken!" Dib gasped.

Gaz rolled her eyes. "Dib, keep in mind that the Irkens are fighting to keep control of the Earth."

"That's true," said the tallest Irken, coming closer. "But some of us are trying to help you filthy humans."

"And you're one of them?" Dib asked, eyes narrowing.

"The both of us, actually," said the shorter one. She had purple eyes and an orange uniform. That was odd, Dib couldn't remember any other Irkens wearing orange.

"So… who are you… Exactly?" Dib asked, still wary. They could easily be lying to him.

The taller one, who had violet colored eyes and a black outfit, answered for them both. "I'm Bina, and this is Chey. My SIR's name is Cairo, and Chey's is named Zelda. And who are you?"

"I'm Dib, and this is my sister Gaz," Dib said, gesturing to Gaz who was looking at the two Irkens uninterestedly.

"Nice to meet you," Chey said, putting her hand out to be shaken.

Dib took it, warming up to the two Irkens, they seemed genuine enough.

"So, what are you humans doing here?" Bina asked. "Most of your species has gone into hiding, that is, if they're not the ones fighting."

"Have they?" Dib asked. "I wouldn't have known. Gaz and I have been on a different planet for the past eight years."

"Wow, you've been gone a while," Bina remarked. "Did you chicken out and leave your species for dead?"

Bina's SIR, Cairo, snickered. He was the newer model.

"We did not!" Dib said angrily. "As a matter of fact, we only left Earth because we were captured by the Tallest after we lost our fight."

This stopped Bina cold. Chey seemed very interested all of a sudden as well.

"Wait," Bina began, "When did this fight happen?"

"Over eight years ago," Dib said, getting a little suspicious. "Why?"

"W-who did you fight with?"

Dib raised his eyebrows but answered. "Several Irkens and the Resisty."

"But, that means…" Bina trailed off.

"Means what?" Dib demanded.

"Did you know an Irken named Kota?"

Dib was shocked at the mention of Kota's name. No one had talked about her in almost seven years! Even Gaz looked interested now.

"Yes, she was kind of our leader."

Bina and Chey's eyes grew sad.

"Did you know her?" Dib asked.

"Yes," Bina murmured. "We both did. We were friends of hers, but we were unable to help her save Earth when she called for us. By the time we got here, she was already long gone. Now we fight to finish what she started."

Wow, what were the odds that they'd meet more Irkens associated with Kota? Especially since Kota hadn't been mentioned by anyone in such a long time…

"How'd you meet her?" Dib asked.

"It was a lucky coincidence," Bina said, a small smile making its way onto her face. "In fact, I almost killed her, she surprised me so badly."

"She was a good friend," Chey murmured.

They sat in an uncomfortable silence for a few moments, where no one seemed to want to say anything. Finally, Bina cleared her throat.

"So, you guys want to help fight?" she asked.

Dib and Gaz nodded.

"Well, then I suggest you come with us. We have a pretty well organized group of fighters."

"Then lead the way," Dib said.

~!#$%^

"Are you sure we should be doing this, Zinx?"

"Of course, Sage! Don't you want to find out who that strange Irken was?"

"Well yes, but…"

"No buts, let's go!"

Zinx, Bex and Sage had met up just before dawn in the center of the village. No one was out yet, so they slipped out unnoticed. Tsuki and Tanuki refused to come, as they had both been too afraid to venture back into the woods where shadcats lurked. Sage had also been very reluctant, but her curiosity towards the Irken who saved her was far greater than her fear of being eaten.

"So, what happens if we find the guy?" Bex asked.

"We try and talk to him," Zinx said.

"And if that doesn't work?"

"Then we come up with something else," Zinx said dismissively.

"But what if he runs away from us?" Sage asked.

"We chase him."

"Oh my."

"I still think we could be something slightly more productive with our day," Bex grumbled. "For example, talking to Jek while he's still here?"

"You could have stayed behind," ZInx said simply.

"And let you two have all the fun? No way!" Bex exclaimed.

"Good, then stop complaining."

"Well look who's Mr. Bossy Boss."

"Please stop fighting!"

"Calm down, Sage, we're just having a slightly heated discussion."

~!#$%^&

A/N: Ugh, I know it's short, but it's the best I can do while I'm upset. You see… My gerbils died today. :'( I'll try to update again within the next few days, though. Again, I'm really sorry for leaving you guy hanging for a week! School's really taken a toll on my imagination.


	5. Meet the Gang

A/N: Time, finally, for another chapter! I'm so sorry guys, but I think my inspiration is starting to come back, keep your fingers crossed! Another thing, Dib is around 18 in this story and Gaz is around 17. :3

~!#$%^

_'Cause we are broken,_

_What must we do to restore,_

_Our innocence._

_And oh, the promise we adored,_

_Give us life again,_

_'Cause we just wanna be whole._

_Paramore: We are Broken_

3rd Person

~!#$%

Dib and Gaz followed Bina and Chey, casting nervous glances around them every so often. The Earth was in terrible condition, any animals they happened to see looked scrawny and unhealthy.

"Almost there," Bina murmured after about ten minutes of walking.

"LOOK OUT!"

Just as the words were shouted from afar, a massive explosion detonated not thirty feet from where they were. Aliens, humans and robots alike were thrown backwards onto the ground. Just as they began to recover, more explosions began going off and Irkens started emerging from what foliage there was on the mostly barren landscape.

"Take this, dirt bags!"

A girl with black hair and lightly tanned skin stepped into the clearing, grenade in hand. Her hair had a jade green stripe running near her right temple. Her outfit composed of a short black t-shirt, which showed the very bottom of her stomach, black and green camouflage cargo pants, thick black boots and fingerless gloves, dog tags and a black belt with a silver belt buckle, depicting a dragon. Without another word, she pulled the pin of the grenade with her teeth and chucked it at the Irkens. The grenade exploded moments later and several aliens went flying.

"Run for it!" Bina ordered.

Everyone took off, following Bina and Chey.

"Cairo! Deploy rocket launcher!"

"Yes, my mistress!" Cairo spun around, whipping a rocket launcher out of his tiny robotic head and launched a short volley of rockets at the pursuing Irkens.

"It's not enough!" Dib shouted, glancing back at the soldiers following them.

"Oh yeah? Brad, NOW!"

On the command, two more teenagers leapt out from behind the remains of a brick wall, guns in hand. They began raining bullets down on the approaching wave of Irkens, taking almost a dozen out in just moments. The others were no longer in retreat and were doing their best to help out.

The teenagers, a boy and a girl, finally lowered their guns after the Irkens began to recede, no longer attacking but running.

"Pff, wimps," the dark haired girl sniffed. "Can't even take a few grenades and rockets."

Bina smirked. "Dib, Gaz, I'd like you to meet the other members of our team. This is Drey, the dark haired girl gave a small wave, Brad and Rose."

Brad and Rose stood side by side, eyeing Dib and Gaz disdainfully. Brad was long and lanky with light blonde hair and silver eyes. Rose was tall with long, light brown hair and green eyes. Both were dressed in casual t-shirts and jeans, Rose in a dark blue shirt and Brad in green one.

"Nice to meet you," Dib said, reaching out to shake hands with everyone. When he got to Rose, she just looked at his hand and turned away.

"Don't you think we should be heading back?" Rose asked Bina. "I mean, we don't want to be standing out here waiting for the Irkens to bring reinforcements, do we?"

Dib looked hurt but said nothing while Gaz smirked at him.

"Yeah, I guess we should," Bina said. "C'mon everyone."

The little resistance trouped through the ruins of what used to be a town before finally arriving at a mostly standing building. It was only one floor and made entirely of brick. The roof was halfway gone, only covering the left side of the building. Bina led the way inside, but not before casting a suspicious glance around. Once inside, she led them through several corridors before reaching what appeared to be a dead end.

"See anyone?" Bina whispered. The others shook their heads. Nodding, Bina reached out and pushed a brick on the wall. It gave in, and a small square part of the floor caved in, revealing a stairway leading down into the ground.

"Woah," Dib said as he started down the stairs. "Wasn't expecting that."

They continued down the stairs in silence, Dib and Gaz glancing around while the others just looked straight ahead. Finally, they reached the bottom and lights began to automatically turn on as they entered a wide room. Equipment and weapons hung on the walls and took up entire walls. Computers were located at desks and appeared to be monitoring various things. A young girl sat at one of the stations and was closely watching the screen. She looked up as they neared and gave a warm smile.

"Dib, Gaz, this is Kianka," Chey said, extending a hand towards the girl. She had flaming red hair and piercing blue eyes. Kianka wore a dark green long sleeved shirt and jeans with her hair in a loose ponytail. She stood and shook both Dib and Gaz's hands.

"Nice to meet you," Kianka said.

"Anything new?" Bina asked.

"Nope," Kianka said, casting another glance at the computer. "It seems like the Tallest are starting to lose interest here. Or at least are doing a better job at concealing any incoming ships from us."

"Let's hope they're just losing interest," Drey commented. "I don't think we'd be able to hold out for much longer if they bring in more troops."

"So, what exactly do you guys do?" Dib asked.

"We're a resistance," Brad said, puffing his chest out. "We fight the Irkens on a daily basis."

"Of course, we're not incredibly strong yet," Chey said sadly. "Even with all of our equipment. We just don't have enough people helping us out."

"Well, Gaz and I can help," Dib offered. "I mean, we came back here to help out, after all. Maybe we can even get some more people to join."

"That would be great," Bina said. "But you'll need to prove yourselves first."

"How?"

"We've got a surprise attack planned for tomorrow. Show us what you've got then, and you're in."

"Deal."

Everyone looked at Gaz, who had been the one who had spoken.

"What? Surprised I can talk?"

"Not really, just surprised that you actually felt like we were worth talking to," Rose quipped.

Gaz narrowed her eyes and Dib looked between the two girls nervously. But in the end, Gaz just gave a low growl and turned away, deciding it was best not to start a fight. Thankfully, Rose seemed to be mature enough not to remark… This time, anyway.

~!#$%^&*

A/N: Ah… Yes, my inspiration is definitely coming back, that was easy to write. Expect updates for the rest of my stories tomorrow, because I have to finish my homework right now. :P Wait… tomorrow is Halloween… Meh, I'll probably have time to update before I go terrorize I MEAN have fun with little kids. …MUAHAHAHA.


	6. A Dark Alley

A/N: Hey look guys! FarSideOfTheSun, the creator of the Centauri, drew Tsuki and Tanuki for me! I'm putting a link to the picture on my page. If you haven't read her AWESOME Lilo and Stitch/Invader Zim crossover yet, I highly recommend it. It's really good!

~!#$%^&

_We are young, _

_But we have heart,_

_Born in this world as it all falls apart._

_We are strong,_

_But we don't belong,_

_Born in this world as it all falls apart._

_Hollywood Undead: Young_

~!#$%^&*(

3rd Person

"C'mon, guys, we're almost there!"

"Aren't you the slightest bit worried about dangerous animals?" Sage asked.

"Not really," Zinx said. "Shadcats are almost extinct, anyway."

"Besides, how can you be scared when you're excited?" Bex asked. "I mean, today is the day we find out who saved you!"

"You do not know that," Sage pointed out. "We could search for hours and never find anything."

"Or, you could find him right now."

The three Irken children spun around as a voice sounded behind them. Standing there was the very same Irken Sage had seen several days ago, knife in hand.

~!#$%

"Gaz? Where are you going?"

"Out. You have a problem with that, Dib?"

"Well, yeah! It's dangerous to go out all by yourself, especially at night!"

Gaz scoffed. "I _think_ I can take care of myself."

"But, Gaz…"

"Goodbye, Dib!"

Gaz left the building before Dib could stop her. Once outside, she surveyed her surroundings. The sun had already set and a cool breeze made its way through the night. Gaz waited for her eyes to adjust to the low lit setting and focused on the sounds. It was mostly quiet, save for some rustling foliage. Just as Gaz was about to head out, she felt something brush against her leg. She looked down, slightly startled even though you'd never be able to tell by looking at her. There, sitting tail tucked neatly over its paws, was a small cat, looking up at Gaz with shining silver eyes. The cat was a dark grey with a black stripe running down its face. Its ears had little tufts of black fur topping them, much like a lynx had. Gaz contemplated the cat for a moment before shrugging and walking off into the night. To her surprise, the cat followed her. She knelt down and looked at the cat right in its eyes. The cat met her gaze and never looked away.

"Hmm," Gaz muttered. She held her hand out for the cat to sniff, but it simply looked at it before quickly looking back at her. "What an odd cat," Gaz thought aloud. The cat continued to stare at her. "Well, I suppose if you're going to follow me and stare at me like that, I should give you a name."

The cat blinked.

Gaz thought for a moment. "Thunder," she said finally. "Your name is Thunder." The cat seemed to nod in agreement. If anything, it at least understood what was going on. "Well, come on, I'm going for a walk," Gaz said, standing. Thunder got to his feet as well. The two of them made their way into the darkness, turning into a dark alley when they came upon it. The duo made their way down the dark, dank alley. Gaz wasn't worried, far from it, in fact. She hoped that someone would want to cause her trouble just so she could take her anger out on them. It had been a long, frustrating day and she wanted to hit something. Suddenly, there was a loud growl from the shadows.

Gaz tensed and narrowed her eyes. She hadn't thought she'd be fighting an animal when she came into the alley. Reaching down, Gaz found a broken bottle and picked it up. Thunder fluffed up his fur and let out a low snarl. This could be interesting…

"Demon, heel boy."

So, it was a dog and it had an owner.

"Who's there?" Gaz demanded.

Three figures melted from the shadows, two human and one dog. Both the humans turned out to be boys about Gaz's age, one maybe a few years younger. The dog was a German Shepard with a nasty looking scar running across his left eye. He also had a black collar studded with silver spikes. The boys were about the same height, but otherwise completely different in appearance. The slightly taller, older one had shaggy black hair, piercing dark brown eyes and an earring through his left ear. He was decked out in a tight fitting black tee which showed his muscular upper torso and black jeans. His shoes were worn out grey and black Nikes.

The shorter, younger looking guy was leaner and had sandy blonde hair and blue eyes. He had several blood stains on his loose fitting grey t-shirt and his dark blue jeans. He had generic blue and grey Wal-Mart brand sneakers. Both boys were currently looking at her, and the dog was observing Thunder.

"What do you want?" Gaz demanded. She was in no mood to deal with a couple of boys, unless of course, they wanted to fight. That she could do.

"Nothing," the dark haired boy said. "We were just hanging out here. You're the one who wanted to know who was here."

Gaz narrowed her eyes.

"Of course," said the blonde boy, "We wouldn't mind chatting. There's not exactly an abundance of people in this town, anymore."

Gaz rolled her eyes. "Yeah, if you don't mind, I'll be leaving now."

"Can't we at least get your name?" asked the blonde boy again.

"Geez, Patrick, can you sound anymore desperate?" the dark haired boy asked. The blonde boy, Patrick, glared at him.

"No," Gaz said, turning.

"Wow, rude."

Gaz spun back around, eyes flaming. Neither boys even flinched, so Gaz had to give them some credit. Kids used to flee from her in fright if she did something like that. Then again, maybe she was just a little out of practice…

"If you must know, my name is Gaz," Gaz said. "And yours are?"

The dark haired boy smirked. "I'm Jason, and this is Patrick. The dog is Demon."

"I don't care about the dog's name," Gaz scoffed.

Jason shrugged. "Just like we don't care about your cat's name."

"He's not my cat," Gaz argued. "Thunder's just some random cat that started following me."

"Thunder, huh?" Patrick commented. "Why would you name it Thunder when lightning is more powerful?"

Gaz snarled. "How do you know I'm the one who named it? Maybe he came with the name."

Patrick smirked. "I don't see any tag on it anywhere. So unless the cat actually talked to you and told you that Thunder was his name, I'm going to have to assume that you're the one who named him."

Gaz glared at him for a moment longer then shrugged. "Well played," she muttered. "I named him Thunder because that was the coolest thing that came to my mind at the time."

"Good enough reason," Patrick said. "Where ya headed?"

Gaz went on the defensive again. "Who wants to know?"

Patrick held his hands up in the universal "ok, ok" gesture. "If you don't wanna tell us, that's fine."

Gaz snorted. "Good."

"Although, I _would_ like to know what a young lady like you is doing out here all on your own," Jason said.

"I just needed a break from the chaos currently going on at… wherever I came from."

"Which would be?" Jason asked.

"Why should I tell you anything?" Gaz demanded.

Jason shrugged. "We've been fighting Irkens for a while now, and we've been looking for a group to join up with. I mean, there's tons around, but we haven't really found a good one yet."

Gaz raised an eyebrow. " Oh really?"

"Yeah," Patrick said. "It's kind of a past time. You wouldn't happen to know about any really good resistance groups, would you?"

Gaz thought for a moment, then shrugged. "Yeah, I do. In fact, that's where I just came from. I suppose you could come and check everything out, if you wanted."

Jason and Patrick looked at each other and nodded. Then they turned to Gaz. "Lead the way," Patrick said.

Gaz began leading the way back to the base, thoughts whirling in her head. If the others had a problem with them, so be it. She didn't care. Besides, they had been saying how much they need more people, well, here was their chance. These guys obviously didn't scare easily, and they looked battle ready. Why not give 'em a chance?

~!#$%

A/N: I admit to having a certain book character in mind when I came up with Jason. Read Maximum Ride and you'll know who within the first four chapters. Also, the next chapter will be mainly focusing on the kids on Mooshi. I feel bad for neglecting them for two chapters but I wanted badly to set the stage for the Earth resistance. Now, I'm going to write some more, then I need to study and finish my video project for school. :P


	7. Let's Be Stalkers!

A/N: Wow, an update at long last! Thank goodness for summer break, am I right? Just a warning, I'm working at the zoo all day every weekend, so I won't be updating at all then. And since my inspiration is still significantly lacking, updates will continue to be irregular for a while. But other than that, enjoy!

~! #$%

_Remember to breath 'cause it'll take your breath away,  
>When the engines cough and you blast off,<br>Ignite the night with a firecracker flash.  
>And remember to live 'cause you're gonna be thrilled to death,<br>When the stars collide and your eyes grow wide,  
>Take it in with your breath against the glass.<br>Owl City: Alligator Sky_

~! #$

The three Irken children stood, mouths open, in front of the very Irken they had been searching for. Now that they had found him, they weren't sure what to do. The Irken surveyed them, eyes narrowed slightly as if he wasn't sure what to think. Finally, Sage cleared her throat and stepped forward.

"Thank you, I mean, for saving me the other day."

The other Irken nodded. "You're welcome. Now, may I ask why you have come searching for me?"

"Well, to thank you," Sage said, realizing they didn't really have another reason.

"Then please, go back from where you came from."

The other three were taken aback. Before they could react any more, the other Irken spun around and took off into the trees. Making a split second decision, Zinx began to pursue the green-eyed Irken. "W-wait up!" Bex shouted, following his friend. Sage shook her head and sprinted after her two male companions. The three kids ran, each of them following another. Zinx was simply hoping that the Irken they were chasing wouldn't get them lost or would lead them into danger. He just had to hope for the best.

The green-eyed Irken glanced back and gave a small smile. "Well, if you insist on following me, I suppose I'll be able to see what you're all made of. Continue following if you think you have what it takes to brave the wilderness!"

~! #$%^

Gaz led the two boys into the low brick building, feeling her way through the halls by running her hands along the wall. When they reached the dead end she had to push on several bricks before she heard a clicking sound and the secret passage opened. Jason gave a low whistle.

"Nice. It's like an actual secret base."

Gaz rolled her eyes and began making her way down the stairs. Part way down, Thunder hopped up onto her shoulder. Gaz looked at the cat curiously but said nothing. If anything else, the cat looked menacing enough to add to her scary appearance. They had just about reached the bottom when a voice floated up to them.

"Gaz, is that you?"

"Who else would it be?

"Someone who snuck in!" Rose shouted, sounding superior. As Gaz made her way into the room she cleared her throat.

"Oh yeah, I also found two new recruits. You're welcome." Gaz stopped in the middle of the room and put her hands on her hips. Jason and Patrick stood behind her, Patrick shifting around slightly awkwardly. Demon sat down quietly next to Jason's feet.

"Gaz, you can't just pick up any people off the street and bring them here!" Drey hissed. "They could be spies!"

Patrick cleared his throat. "Excuse me, but how many humans do you know that are trying to destroy their own species?"

"About as many as there are Irkens fighting THEIR own species," Bina said, eyes narrowing. "While it IS uncommon, it's not entirely impossible."

Jason smirked. "Fair enough. But seriously, we're not here to be spies. We're here to kick Irken ass."

The resistance group looked amongst each other for a few moments before they all seemed to come to an agreement. "Fine," Bina said. "If you two can prove yourselves in our raid tomorrow, then you're in. Deal?"

Jason strode forward and shook Bina's hand. "Deal."

~! #$%^&

"Holy Irk!"

The three kids had skid to a halt at the edge of a cliff. The Irken whom they had been following had thrown himself directly off of it, without stopping. From there he had leapt from tree to tree, keeping up his momentum until he had reached the bottom of the canyon. He stood at the bottom, waiting to see what his pursuers would do.

"Now what?" Zinx asked, seemingly at a loss for a change.

Bex grimaced and begun to back up. "We do what he did." Sage and Zinx exchanged terrified glances before scooting out of the way. After stepping back several more times the blue eyed Irken closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The moment he re-opened them he sprinted forward, arms swinging and eyes focused on the tree nearest him. He dove off, shouting, and barely managed to grab onto a tree branch. His companions watched nervously as he threw himself from one limb to the next, obviously lacking any form of grace. But he got the job done and made it to the bottom mostly unharmed.

"Very good," the Irken said, watching Bex catch his breath. "For making it this far, I'll tell you my name."

"Really?" Bex asked, eyes brimming with curiosity.

"Yes, that is, assuming your friends make it down here as well."

Bex groaned but motioned for his friends to follow. He watched the two argue back and forth for several moments before Zinx finally disappeared backwards. He reappeared almost immediately, not taking any time to gather himself before he had jumped. Zinx managed not to make a fool of himself and managed to look slightly better on the way down than Bex had, but it still was not a pretty sight; ESPECIALLY when he fell on the ground face first after releasing from the last tree branch.

Bex snickered. "Nice landing."

"…Shut up, will ya?"

"Now, let us see if your last friend will be brave enough to come down."

Sage looked down into the canyon nervously. Surely if the boys could do it, then she could too, right? Her mom was as strong (if not stronger) as all the other males she had grown up with, so she could be strong, too! Yes. Sage was just as capable as the boys were. So, taking a deep breath and backing up, the green eyed Irken leapt off the cliff, aiming for the branches. Almost on instinct, she latched onto a branch and propelled herself to the next one. She found herself falling into a rhythm and she wasn't quite able to believe that she was doing something that had seemed impossible until her feet hit the ground.

"Nicely done, all three of you. Now, as promised, I will tell you my name."

The three companions looked at the Irken expectantly. How odd, that they were so interested in an Irken who was the same age as them? He seemed to be much older and wiser in mind than he was in body.

"My name is Tarklotaz," he said, face void of expression. After a moment of silence, he smiled. "You're welcome to continue following me, of course. If you continue to prove yourselves, I'll tell you more about myself. But you have to keep up!" And with that, he took off along the canyon. Grinning, the three Irken children continued the chase.

A/N: Instead of saying something, I'll give you a little convo excerpt between XxDoomygrlxX and I… (CAS=Me CWA=Doomy)

CAS: I don't think this is gonna be my BEST chapter

CAS: but it's an update either way

CWA: Them readers BETTER be thankful

CAS: XD

CWA: Dis girl right here *pointing at Kota*

CWA: Has lost her inspiration

CWA: For SO long

CWA: AND YA;LL THINK YOU CAN JUST...CUT HER OFF?

CWA: WELL NOPE.

CWA: THAT AIN;T HAPPENIN

CAS: I hope you know I'm putting that in the A/N at the bottom of the chapter

CWA: OR ELSE I SHALL BRING UP "SOMEBODY THAT I USED TO KNOW"

CWA: O rly

CWA: XD

CAS: ya rly x3


End file.
